Russian gardeners are ready for exporting seedlings after refocusing on the domestic market.

At the "Pro Яблоко 2024" exhibition, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Andrey Razin stated that Russian horticulturists can successfully enter foreign markets thanks to the quality and variety of their products. However, it is necessary to first meet the country's internal needs. The industry is competitive and attractive for investments, and stable financial and economic indicators create favorable conditions for its further development.

President of the Association of Horticulturists of Russia Igor Mukhanin is confident that Russia produces a sufficient number of seedlings to meet the needs of both the domestic market and exports. He noted that although some nurseries have been reduced due to importing seedlings from Serbia, production can increase when needed, and millions of seedlings can be exported. Currently, Russia produces about 35-40 million seedlings annually. Igor Mukhanin emphasized that Russia can export seedlings, including to Kyrgyzstan, but this will require significant efforts from farmers to organize the export.

At the end of last year, the Association of Nurserymen and Horticulturists of the Stavropol Territory, the Association of Horticulturists of Russia, and the union "Gardeners of Kuban" proposed a complete ban on the import of fruit tree seedlings from 2024. The chairman of the Association of Nurserymen and Horticulturists of the Stavropol Territory Aydin Shirinov explained that such a ban is necessary for the development of domestic production.

He noted that a large part of the fruit tree seedlings used by farmers in 2022 were of domestic origin, but deliveries from Serbia and EU countries continue. Unfair competition from foreign plant suppliers leads to price reductions and complicates production planning for Russian companies.

Just during the period from April 1 to April 26, 2024, more than 935 thousand imported seedlings of ornamental plants, hazelnuts, and apple rootstocks were delivered to the Rostov region. The seedlings were brought from Italy and Serbia. Since the beginning of 2024, 1.3 million imported seedlings of various plants have been delivered to the Rostov region. Seedlings for open ground, apple rootstocks, and other materials were imported from Turkey, Italy, and Serbia.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the share of domestic planting materials for planting orchards is increasing annually and currently stands at over 80%.